AATCC, a leading textile standards organization, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) to adopt AATCC test methods and procedures as national standards in Sri Lanka.

This move is aimed at enhancing support for the needs of the people of Sri Lanka, promoting the growth of the country's economy, and aiding in the development of Sri Lanka National Standards.

According to the MOU, SLSI staff will also become members of AATCC and relevant committees. This is the second such MOU for AATCC, after it signed a similar agreement with L'InstitutoColombiano de NormasTécnicas y Certificación (ICONTEC) in 2020, enabling the adoption of AATCC documents as Colombia National Standards.

Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein has recently announced plans to prioritize sustainability in response to growing consumer concerns. The company has faced criticism for its promotion of throwaway fashion, but its executive vice chairman, Donald Tang, stated at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona that Shein plans to focus on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues to continue its growth trajectory.

Shein's efforts to address sustainability concerns include offering higher-quality, sustainably-sourced materials and a platform for customers to resell used clothes. Additionally, the company announced in 2022 its aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 25% by 2030, and has already saved nearly 70 tonnes of single-use plastic waste.

The fashion industry has faced mounting pressure to address its environmental impact and promote fair labour practices. Shein's commitment to sustainability is a positive step and could set an example for other fast-fashion retailers looking to improve their practices.

However, Shein has faced allegations of labour rights violations in the past, with some reports suggesting that workers in its Chinese factories are paid low wages and work long hours in poor conditions.

Shein's efforts to address sustainability concerns reflect a growing trend in the fashion industry, and the company's commitment to improving its practices could help pave the way for a more sustainable future.

Pure London, the UK’s largest festival of fashion, is set to take place from 16th-18th July 2023 at Olympia London, with a lineup of brands and designers that promise to inspire.

The event is renowned globally as the most dynamic, trend-led and comprehensive fashion trade show, with an exciting mix of returning and new designers, including some who have chosen Pure London as their launch pad to the market.

Eno Eco, the first brand of its kind to enter the fashion sphere, will be launching in Pure London's Sustainable destination. The forward-thinking brand offers stylish, sustainable bras and swimwear for single-breasted people following a single mastectomy, promoting choice and self-acceptance through creative and beautiful designs that perfectly fit. Another exciting new brand to watch is Yuiga-Dokson, joining the dynamic POP destination. The Japanese-born brand draws on Buddhist philosophies and blends graphic illustration with metropolitan and natural inspirations.

The Womenswear destination will showcase both returning established brands and exciting new designers. Celebrated brand Vilagallo is focused on creating wearable collections identified by vibrant colours, patterned silks and originality. Each collection is designed in Madrid in Spain and Piacenza in Italy and has a limited number of unique and unrepeatable fashion pieces. French ready-to-wear brand La Fée Maraboutée draws its creativity from nature, travel and mixing cultures. Feminine styles come in natural and warm colour palettes with complimenting fabrics and textures. Contemporary Greek fashion brand Access Fashion, pioneers of Greece’s quintessential islander to urban style, will return to Pure London with a curated mix of effortless essentials and statement occasion pieces, each crafted with luxurious sensibilities.

New to Pure London is functional, attractive brand Wear Evelin, which is yet to launch but is already dialing-up anticipation with sneak peak campaigns on their website and Instagram. Coocu Resort will also make its debut this season with a Greek-designed collection focusing on natural fabrics such as comfortable cotton, cool linen, and airy silk. Sandy Tzatzou designs are nostalgic, exploring femininity and romance through beautiful lace and embroideries, with elegance and joy as the signatures of this refined collection.

Driven by inclusivity, innovation and diversity, newly created POP will showcase a diverse selection of streetwear, alternative, gender-neutral collections, vintage labels, festival fits and tech-infused pieces. Jean experts Lusty Chic, a super-sleek, one-stop jeans store with always chic designs that range from casual to sophisticated, will showcase for the first time. Inspired by social media, pop culture and influencer style, Glamorous returns to Pure London with a collection for girls who aren’t afraid to make and break the fashion rules, defined by innovative fabrics, exciting prints and beautiful silhouettes.

In addition to all this, jewellery , accessories and shoes section have some innovative collections to show.

Fashion brands are increasingly partnering with Web3 projects, seeking to leverage identity and representation to develop new engagement-driven distribution models and create additional revenue streams.

The growing popularity of Web3 communities like Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks has also caught the attention of the fashion industry. Luxury brands such as Prada, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton are collaborating with these communities, highlighting the importance of community building and brand awareness in the digital era. Such partnerships offer a way for brands to tap into new audiences and revenue streams.

Meta is expanding the fashion component of its Meta Avatars Store in partnership with Puma, which has introduced seven sporty looks. Puma has also teamed up with 10KTF for a limited sneaker release aimed at Yuga's 10KTF community and holders of Puma's own Nitro nonfungible token collection, establishing a new distribution system that prioritizes direct engagement over mass production.

According to the Dapp Radar report, Yuga Labs' success in the NFT space is attributed to its exclusive and community-focused approach. The report notes that Yuga's 16 NFT projects account for 34.6% of the entire NFT industry, with a total trading volume of $2 billion in the past two quarters. This underscores the value of community and exclusivity in driving the success of NFT projects and their partnerships with fashion brands.

Jammu and Kashmir is poised to emerge as a thriving industrial hub with the establishment of several textile units in the Union Territory, as per Union Minister Darshana Vikram Jardosh.

The region's abundant resources and strategic location make it an attractive destination for new textile investments, with the government's focus on the sector aimed at creating employment opportunities for the local population and boosting economic growth.

The textile sector is already one of the largest employers in the region, with over 500,000 people directly or indirectly employed in the industry, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Directorate of Handicrafts. Traditional textiles such as shawls and carpets also account for a significant portion of the region's exports.

The new textile units are expected to use modern production methods and value addition to enhance the competitiveness of the region's textiles industry. The government is also providing support for the development of related infrastructure such as roads, power supply, and water resources to facilitate the establishment of these units.

Under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel scheme, the government plans to set up seven mega textile parks across India by 2026-27, which will generate employment for 20 lakh people and attract investments worth crores.

Besides, the government is promoting other initiatives such as the Handloom and Handicrafts Development Programme, the National Handloom Development Programme, and the Integrated Skill Development Scheme to boost the textiles industry in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government's concerted efforts are expected to create a positive impact on the region's economy by providing employment opportunities, attracting investment, and facilitating economic growth.

The new kid on the block is the first-ever premium and super-expensive 0-12 months baby collection launched by the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Interestingly, it created love and hate among different strata of shoppers. Many luxury brands are creating the same unrest in societal strata by launching toddler and baby clothes at over-the-top pricing, which many people think is an absolute waste as children dirty and outgrow clothes every few months.

Many hyper-aspirational brands such as Mary Jane, The Row, run by the Olsen twins, John Lewis among others are routinely launching new portfolios of clothes and accessories for babies and small children, where the prices can be in four-figure dollars and they are still being bought by those who can. With bright blue, orange and pink cashmere items and jumpers from The Row for $800 and £360 monogrammed c shoes, these brands have a brand appeal among those who can and want to buy these products that will soon reach their use-by dates.

Social media influences both children and parents

Although for most parents, childrenswear will always mean affordable and sensible clothing, analysts say kid’s apparel market is expected to grow annually by 2.46 per cent. The concept of letting children be children and dirty themselves in age-appropriate comfortable clothes is now gone, replaced by looking good on social media as a more important mission.

Playdates, playgrounds and social media are now full of parents dressing their children in trendy outfits that include UK brands such as The Bonnie Mob, Another Fox and Organic Zoo and European brands such as Bobo Choses, Tiny Cottons and The Animals Observatory from Spain. Scandinavian countries are leading the bandwagon with unique and sustainable kid-friendly trendy prints of Mini Rodini to smart outerwear brands such as Polarn O, and many others such as Osh Kosh B’gosh, and Emporio Armani.Sonia Rykiel. And Guess Kids among others.

Growing popularity in premium segments

Ad per a Future Market Insights (FMI) study, the children's apparel industry which attained a market revenue of $ 187.29 billion in 2022 is anticipated to reach $ 386.19 billion by the end of 2033,at a CAGR of 6.8 per cent. Developing countries like India and China are now expanding global markets. In the short term of 2023 to 2026, the kid's apparel industry will increase with rising nuclear families consisting of working parents able and willing to spend on premium wear. In the medium term of 2026 to 2029, high exposure to various kinds of social media will boost brand awareness among kids and parents with kids also actively participating in buying decision. In the long term from 2029 to 2033, there will be profits from the rising organized retailers and investors in the market, new brands and more innovative strategies that will highlight the right product assortment, better visual merchandising, focused advertising, and promotional strategies.

Sale of pre-loved kids garments on the rise

Premium garments are also preferred because of the high quality of materials used and their durability over the years. This has led to another new emerging market of pre-loved second-hand children's wear with resale value being extremely high for the premium brands on platforms such as eBay and Vinted.

Better quality brands use materials that are more expensive and durable with better washing and stitching and this can be sold or handed down to family and friends, much more than high=street brands. There has been increased demand for rental and subscription services for occasion=specific dressing from premium shops that offer rentals, such as Arket and Selfridges, new brands for specifically rental clothing for kids and many online brands with pick-up and take-back policies.

Increasing brand awareness about children’s clothes lines, rapid urbanization with well-paying city jobs and increased popularity of the post-Covid e-commerce sector are also supporting the kids' apparel industry. It may not be for everyone, but the industry will still thrive with those who can and will spend on luxury apparels for their little ones who deserve premium all the way through life as morning will show the coming day.

The apparel industry in Tunisia is showing promising signs of recovery as the country's textile and apparel exports continue to grow. The Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy recently reported a 16.78% increase in exports during the first quarter of 2023, reaching TND 2,626.6 million.

This growth is particularly impressive as it surpasses the value of exports achieved in the same period of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, by 22.11% in dinars and 26.64% in euros.

March 2023 also saw a significant rise in exports, with a 16.72% increase to 926.4 million dinars and 14.38% to €278.2 million in euros. Trousers accounted for a significant proportion of ready-to-wear clothing exports, with a growth rate of 16.99% during the first quarter of 2023 to TND 646.2 million, equivalent to €193.9 million.

The European Union (EU) remains the primary market for Tunisian ready-to-wear clothing exports, particularly in France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Exports to the EU reached almost €640.4 million in the first quarter of 2023, accounting for 81% of the sector's total exports and a 19.80% increase compared to 2022.

The growth of textile and apparel exports is a welcome relief for Tunisia's economy, which has been grappling with the impacts of the pandemic. The decrease in imports of ready-to-wear clothing by 51.11% to 58.1 MD and in quantity by 26.26% to 0.8 thousand tonnes compared to the same period of 2022 further highlights the positive trajectory of the industry.

The continued growth of the textile and apparel sector is crucial for the country's economic recovery and provides hope for the future.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Cambodia have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) aimed at boosting and diversifying bilateral trade in the apparel industry.

The agreement is expected to remove tariffs, reduce non-tariff trade barriers, and promote trade in goods, services, and investment, providing a significant platform for global expansion.

In 2022, non-oil trade between the two countries in the apparel industry exceeded USD 401 million, representing a growth of 31% compared to 2021 and 146% more than the pre-Covid year of 2019. Bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) in the apparel industry had reached USD 3.8 million by the end of 2020. The CEPA is expected to strengthen East-West supply chains and offer apparel exporters an important opportunity to expand globally.

The Cambodian economy is one of the most promising in Southeast Asia, with 5.1% growth in 2022, and is expected to benefit from new opportunities for its key apparel exports, including apparel, footwear, and leather goods.

The UAE, on the other hand, is expected to benefit from new export opportunities in the apparel machinery industry, oils and lubricants, and cars and automotive parts, as well as investment opportunities in logistics and infrastructure, travel and tourism projects, and renewable energy.

The agreement will also serve as a catalyst for greater connectivity between ASEAN and the Arab World, which are among the most economically dynamic regions in the world.

UAE seeks to double the size of the economy from USD 381 billion to USD 762 billion by 2030. The UAE has now signed CEPAs with India, Israel, Indonesia, and Turkiye, and is set to conclude negotiations with other strategically important nations in the apparel industry in the coming weeks.

Cambodia has achieved bilateral FTAs with China and South Korea, and mega FTAs under ASEAN and RCEP, demonstrating their support for globalization by opening up international trade to ensure that cooperation is at the heart of sustainable and inclusive economic development.

The UAE-Cambodia CEPA is expected to lead, in alignment with Cambodia's consistent adherence to trade liberalization in the apparel industry.

The Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics fair, which will take place from 6-8 November 2023 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, will help industry players tap into the market recovery and regain international orders.

The fair has gained immense industry support, with over 880 exhibitors from eight countries and regions and over 42,000 visits from 26 countries and regions in its previous edition.

According to Research and Markets, the Chinese textile market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of over 5% from 2020-2026. Wilmet Shea, GM, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, is confident that the fair will continue to be an effective platform for participants to make the most of this promising market.

Shenzhen, China's fastest-growing city, is home to over 2,500 clothing brands, with the vast majority self-owned. Shenzhen's garment exports reached USD 7.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2022, increasing by 9.8% YoY, with a sharp rise in exports to ASEAN countries, the UK, and the US.

The fair’s fringe programme, including Intertextile Apparel's signature Trend Forum, seminars, and product presentations, will provide an ideal platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest products to quality buyers from across the globe. With the return of international participation, participants can also maximise their trading opportunities by utilising the fair's online platform, Intertextile Hub.

The fair is held concurrently with Yarn Expo Shenzhen, CHIC GBA, and PH Value, offering the opportunity to source from the entire textile value chain.

Several companies, including Reliance Industries and MCPI, have expressed interest in acquiring debt-laden textile manufacturer Sumeet Industries, according to documents seen by ET.

The eight bidders have submitted interest and supporting documents, which will now be scrutinised by the resolution professional before formal bids are invited.

Sumeet, a Surat-based polyester and yarn maker, owes a total of INR6.67bn ($89m) to lenders and operational creditors led by Bank of Baroda.

The firm was admitted to bankruptcy court in December 2022 following a failed attempt to restructure its loans.